Ziaja Manuka Tree purifying range| Review*

A while back I was kindly sent some products from the Polish brand Ziaja's newest skincare collection. The Manuka Tree Purifying range, designed for oily/combination. There are 5 products in total; a day cream, a night cream, a cleanser, an astringent toner and a peeling paste. I have quite dry/dehydrated skin for the most part but put them to the test regardless. Here are my thoughts on the 3 products I received..

Manuka Tree normalising day cream - €6.99

This is a nice, light moisturiser for during the day and while it is designed for oily/combination skin, I was surprised by just how moisturising it actually was - I didn't feel like I needed anything extra. I don't suffer from excessively oily skin so can't really comment on its oil control claims, however what I will say is that because it is a mattifying moisturiser, it makes for a perfect foundation base. I don't have any makeup creasing around my nose and chin that I normally would have after 6-8 hours wear. It's kind of like a moisturising primer which is perfect for those early mornings!

Manuka Tree Gentle Exfoliating Night Cream - €6.99

To be totally honest I wasn't expecting much from this knowing how dry my skin is, it was too gel like in consistency to possibly be hydrating enough for me. However, I did get quite excited at the mention of almond acid because unless you've been living under a rock for the whole of 2014 you'll have heard about all the hype surrounding fruit acid exfoliation namely alpha-h liquid gold and pixi glow tonic (both admittedly are on my wish list). 

I used it for a few nights and just as I expected, it wasn't enough for my skin on its own, now that isn't anything to do with the product itself, it isn't aimed at those unfortunate people like me with excessively dry skin. I decided to experiment a bit and applied it after letting my beloved Nuxe Masque Crème Fraîche de Beauté sink in, just before bed 2-3 times a week. Not only am I getting the hydration I so desperately need, my skin has never looked brighter or smoother and I'm putting it down to this combination. There is something about this moisturiser and I'm presuming it the 'gentle exfoliation' from the almond acid that has improved the overall texture of my skin. We're definitely onto a winner with this one!

Manuka tree deep cleansing peeling paste - €4.99

Of all the products in the collection, this was the one I was most excited to try because I was completely baffled by it. A peeling paste? What does that mean? To my disappointed it wasn't a peel off mask. What it is, is an exfoliating mask. I was quite hesitant with this in the beginning and the instructions or lack of didn't help. Are you supposed to wash it off straight away or do you let it dry and then wash it off. Who knows, I tried both and found it a little too abrasive when removing it once it had dried, leaving my skin smooth but feeling raw and irritated. Instead I use it as a targeted spot treatment, if I feel like a spot is starting to rear its ugly head, I apply a little bit of the paste over it before bed and when I wake up, the spot significantly reduced if not after completely disappearing. Very comparable to the Glam Glow youth mud exfoliating mask.

Overall I'm really impressed with the range. While there were both positive and negative aspects, the good has definitely outweighed the bad on this one.

 If I was to pick a stand out product, it would definitely be the night cream. I cannot get over the difference in my skin when I wake up, it's nice to wake up have a plump, fresh face and what's more, sometimes I even think "you know you look good today Rebecca!" Followed by numerous #nomakeup selfies destined to go nowhere..